Flexible winding spool



Jan. 4, 1944.

E. B. HELM FLEXIBLE WINDING SPOOL Filed June 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIRE V Bnnentor EMERSON B. HE LM attorney Jan. 4, 1944.

E. B. HELM FLEXIBLE WINDING SPOOL Filed June 10, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (Ittorneg EMERSON B. HELM Patented Jan. 4, 1944 FLEXIBLE WINDING SPOOL Emerson B. Helm, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor. to Industrial Rayon Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application June 10, 1941, Serial No. 397,411

9 Claims.

This invention relates to generally tubular winding spools of flexible construction adapted for use in the manufacture of artificial silk thread or the like.

It is the practice in the spool-spinning process of manufacturing artificial silk thread to employ a spool mounted upon a rotary spindle assembly as the means for withdrawing the thread from the coagulating bath. Through the medium of a suitable oscillatory or reciprocatory guide, the thread is laid upon the spool in superposed layers individually made up of a series of like helical windings. When the desired amount of thread has been collected, the spool is removed from the spindle assembly and the thread package subjected to one or more of the usual processing treatments; e. g., washing, desulphurizing, bleaching and drying, usually without removing the thread package from the spool.

In some of these processing treatments, there is a tendency for the thread to elongate; in others, to shrink. If the thread elongates appreciably, conventional rigid winding spools are no longer effective to support thethread package during processing. If, as in the drying operation, there is a pronounced tendency for the thread to shrink, a rigid winding spool of the conventional kind will partially or entirely restrain shrinkage of the thread. in the package. In either case, the quality of the thread is deleteriously affected.

The present invention contemplates a flexible winding spool of simple construction which may be compressed or expanded from its original diameter, depending upon conditions during a given processing operation. Among other things, the spool of the invention is characterized by a high degree of flexibility, a comparatively large thread-bearing area and an ability to maintain a substantially cylindrical contour whether it is expanded or compressed. It is unique in that it has a considerable measure of peripheral flexibility even after being compressed or expanded.

The drawings show the spool of the invention as used in the spool-spinning process of manufacturing artificial silk thread; for example, multiple filament viscose artificial silk thread. Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective of a spool in which the featuresof the invention are embodied. Figure 2 is an end view of the spool shown in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a longitudinal secr tion of the spool along line 3-3 of Figure 2. In each of Figures 1, 2 and 3, the spool is shown in its normal or uncompressed state.

Figure 4 is a side view of the spool, thread package and spindle assembly, the scale being somewhat smaller than that in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive. Figure 5 is an end view of the same spool, thread package and spindle assembly from line 55 of Figure 4 showing the thread package as it would normally be seen from the right hand end of the spool. Figure 6 is a generally similar end view of the spool and thread package after their removal from the spindle assembly.

An alternative embodiment of the invention is shown in Figures 7 to 9, inclusive. Figure '7 is an end view of the spool, of such embodiment in its normal or unexpanded condition. Figure 8 is a corresponding end view in expanded condition, showing the thread package and spindle assembly. Figure 9 is a side elevation of the apparatus from line 9-9 of Figure 8 with parts of the thread package, spool and spindle assembly broken away for the sake of clarity.

As shown in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, spool I is in a sense of double wall construction, having an interrupted outer periphery 2 and an interrupted inner periphery 3. Outer periphery 2 is provided with adaxially reentrant grooves 4 which extend lengthwise of the spool. Inner periphery 3 is provided with abaxial grooves 5 which likewise extend lengthwise of the spool. Grooves 4 and 5 are disposed alternately around the spool, having common side walls 6 which extend between outer periphery 2 and inner periphery 3. I

Segments 8 of outer periphery 2 which normally support the thread are provided with perforations I through which fluid may pass during treatment of thread on the spool.

Preferably, the total area of the thread-supporting segments 8 is somewhat greater than the total area of reentrant grooves 4 between such segments. This provides a greater supporting surface for the thread while nevertheless allowing sufficient distance between adjacent threadsupporting segments to permit radial compression of the spool. Similarly, the total area of segments 9 of inner periphery 3 is preferably somewhat greater than the total area of grooves 5 between such segments; consequently, there is also sufiicient distance between the segments 9 to allow the inner periphery 3 of the spool to adapt itself to compressive stresses.

This novel construction renders the spool capable of being compressed or expanded with the inner and outer peripheries maintaining an approximately cylindrical configuration. When the spool is compressed, the thread-supporting segments 8 of outer periphery 2 and the spool-supporting segments 9 of inner periphery 3 lie close together, both the inner and the outer peripheries forming virtually continuous cylindrical surfaces. When the spool isexpanded, the opposite action takes place, the peripheries 2 and 3 becoming more and more discontinuous until the total area between adjacent segments approaches or exceeds the total area of the segments themselves.

Thus the spool of Figures 1, 2 and 3 is characterized by a high degree of flexibility without diminution of the effective thread-supporting periphery thereof.

Figure 4 shows in detail the spool of the present invention as it appears when mounted in substantially compressed condition on a rotatable spindle assembly. Spindle assembly II includes, among other elements, a cantilever drive shaft I2 with a square-end portion I3 adapted to engage suitable driving means at the supported end of the assembly. Shaft I2 does not extend entirely through the spindle assembly; instead, it has slidably mounted on its outer end an axially movable hollow handle I4 capable of being telescoped about the shaft by endwise movement as indicated by arrow A in Figure 4.

As shown in Figure 5, spool I is supported by four flexible finger-like member I5 which extend to the end of the spindle assembly from a hub I6 mounted on shaft I2 near the driven end of the shaft. Such members are not of uniform thickness, but thicker'toward their unsupported ends. Four outwardly extending dogs I8 formed integrally with handle I4 serve to support members I5 in proper relation to each other; that is to say, parallel to the axis of the spindle assembly as a whole. Slots I"! are provided between adjacent members to allow members I5 freedom for radial movement at the ends thereof adjacent handle I4.

During the winding operation, spool I is held in partially compressed condition by bands I9 disposed circumferentiall about the ends of the spool. After completion of such operation, handle I4 is pushed inward as indicated by arrow A in Figure 4, allowing flexible members I5 to collapse radially to an extent sufficient to permit the removal as a unit of spool I, bands I9 and thread package In Before placing the spool in the conventional processing vat, bands I9 are removed, allowing spool I to expand against the interior of the thread package It). Thereafter. the spool compensates for any change in the length of the thread in the package.

Figure 6 shows thread package I and spool I as they appear during treatment with liquid processing media which include elongation. Having been held in a compressed state by bands l9 throughout the winding operation, spool I expands after removal of the bands. As already explained. this increases the width of reentrant grooves 4 in outer periphery 2. In this case, the total area of the spaces between thread-bearing segments 8 is increased.

Upon completion of the liquid processing operations, the thread i dried on the spool, bands I9 being replaced on spool I so as to leave the thread free of tension.

The somewhat different embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures '7 to 9, inclusive. employs a spool having grooves 4a and a similar to grooves 4 and 5 of the spool of Figures 1 to 3 but requiring positive radial expansion. Figure 7 shows spool la in its normal or unexpanded condition, the total area of spaces between the thread-bearing segments 8a of the outer pcriphery 2a being negligible when the spool is in such unexpanded state. Figures 8 and 9 show spool la in its expanded state, which is the condition characterizing the spool at the time thread package Illa is formed thereon. Spool la is mounted on spindle assembly Ila during the winding operation.

As handle Ila is telescoped about shaft I30.

in the direction indicated by arrow B in Figure 9, ridges 2| on each of four inwardly extending dogs I8 are disengaged from an annular groove 22 on the surface of hollow handle Ha. As the handle i moved farther inward, dogs Illa follow along inclined surface 23 on handle Ila until they rest on cylindrical portion 24 of the handle, thus releasing flexible finger-like member I 5d. The spool and thread package wound thereon are then removed, the spool meanwhile contracting to its normal state. Before the winding op eration is started, a sock may,' if desired, be wrapped around the spool, the spool being left on the spindle assembly while the thread package is removed by means of the sock.

In either case, the thread can be dried free of interior support; but during liquid processing it may in some instances be desirabl to maintain the spool in expanded condition. Inasmuch as the thread is free to shrink during the dryin operation, the residual shrinkage capacity of the thread is reduced to a relatively low amount. At the same time, substantially uniform dyeing properties are developed in the thread on the spool.

If desired, the invention may be employed in the dyeing of the thread in package form either before or after completion of the drying operation.

Both of the spools above described are capable of being expanded or compressed at any or all points longitudinally thereof; indeed, this makes it possible to apply uniform pressur throughout the length of the spool during compression or ex pansion. The trapezoidal or substantially dovetailed configuration of grooves 4, 5 and 4a, 5a is advantageous in providing flexibility; the side of the figure represented by an imaginary line closing the space between adjacent peripheral segments is always substantially parallel to the opposite side. Each of the wall forms an acute angle with respect to the peripheral segment to which it is joined, thereby lending flexibility of the spool.

A unique characteristic of the spool is its ability to be flexed further after it has been compressed or expanded to the desired diameter. Since the side walls 6 form an acute angle with the peripheral segments to which they are joined, a force applied to such segments will cause flexing of the spool provided there is some space between such segments before the force is applied. Thus, even after rings I9 are placed on spool l the inner periphery 3 of the spool may be expanded slightly without changing the diameter of outer periphery 2. Similarly, spool Ia may be compressed slightly on spindle I Ia after having been expanded by the spindle assembly as shown in Figures 8 and 9.

The spool of the invention may be made of "light sheet metal, tubing, plastic material or for which the spool is designed. Obviously, the spool may be employed to advantage in apparatus other than that illustrated in the drawings.

It is intended that the patent shall cover, by suitable expression in the appended claims, whatever features of patentable novelty reside in the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A flexible winding spool of generally tubular form comprising a plurality of radial grooves disposed longitudinally of the spool, each of said I grooves being characterized by a substantially form the cross-sectional diameter of which is adapted to be changed by application of pressure to the spool comprising a continuous generally tubular member and reentrant grooves extending axially oi. said tubular member, each of said grooves being characterized by a substantially dove-tailed outline in cross sectlonf 6. A flexible winding spool of generally tubular form comprising an inner periphery and an outer periphery, each made up of a plurality of arcuate surfaces and grooves which are characterized by substantially dove-tailed outlines in cross section and are alternately disposed with respect to said arcuate surfaces.

7. A flexible winding spool which in its normal condition is capable of being increased in diameter comprising a thread-bearing periphery and re-entrant portions which are characterized by substantially dove-tailed outlines in cross section formed on said thread-bearing periphery.

8. A flexible winding spool which in its normal condition is capable of being reduced in diameter comprising a thread-bearing periphery and radial reentrant portions which are characterized by substantially dove-tailed outlines in cross section formed on said thread-bearing periphery, the width of said reentrant portions being sumcient to allow compression of the spool.

9. A flexible winding spool of generally tubular form comprising a thread-bearing periphery and reentrant portions which are characterized by substantially dove-tailed outlines in cross section and have an opening adjacent the thread-bearing periphery which changes in width as pressure is applied radially to the spool.

EMERSON B. HELM. 

